Spring-wheel.



Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

witnesses Clttorucgs COLUMBIA FLANOGIAPM O0" WASHINGTON. D C- UNITEDSTATES BilTENT OFFICE.

AI 3'. SWARTS, 0F KENT, WASHINGTON.

SPRING-WHEEL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, A1 J. SwAR'rs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kent, in the county of King and State of lVashington, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-WVheels; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to resilient wheels and has for an object toprovide a resilient wheel having improved features of convenience andeconomy.

A further object of the invention is to provide a resilient wheelcomposed of normally concentric parts connected by springs and havinginclined brace bars disposed between the parts to resist and transmittraction stresses.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means connectedwith the hub and other improved means connected with the rim forattaching to the connecting springs.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises certainnovel constructions, combinations and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a view of a wheel embodying the presentinvention, one half being shown in side elevation, the other half withparts broken away. Fig. 2 is a diametrical sectional view of the wheel.Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the braces.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

The improved wheel which forms the subject matter of this applicationcomprises a hub 10 with spokes 11 radiating therefrom having theirextremities connected by rings 12 concentric with the hub and upon eachside of the wheel. The spokes are connected with the rings 12 in anyapproved manner as by the rivets 13. Between the rings 12 and the spokes11 cheek plates 14 are interposed being substantially concentric withthe hub and rings 12.

About the member constructed as above described an outer member isemployed comprising a rim member including a chan nel portion 15 withannular plates 16 fit- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 21, 1911.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

Serial No. 634,496.

ting somewhat snugly upon the exterior of the cheek plates 14. Betweenthe annular plates 16 a channel member 17 is employed which may be anordinary channel member curved to fit the inside of the rim member andpreferably although not necessarily cut out to produce the cars 18, asindicated at Fig. 1.

Between the rim member constituted as described and the inner memberalso constructed as before described, springs 19 are disposed havingtheir outer ends secured to the channel 17 by means of bolts 20 andtheir inner ends secured to the-cheek plates by means of bolts or rivets21. All of the springs 19 which are spaced entirely about the wheel areunder tension so that the rim member is held normally yieldinglyconcentric with the inner or hub member and capable of taking upstresses applied to the hub or to the rim, the latter of which ispreferably though not necessarily provided with a tire 22. The annularplates 16 are also provided preferably about their inner edges withupset or enlarged portions 23 while a resilient or cushioning member 24:of rubber or the like is carried about the outer peripheries of therings 24-. so that in excess yielding of the springs 19 the rim memberwill contact with such resilient or cushioning member to preventbreakage and also sudden and unnecessary arring.

The wheel, as above described, provides all of the resiliency andyielding required but for a traction wheel it is found that the torqueapplied to the hub will unnecessarily strain the springs 19. To overcomethis obj cction the cheek plates 14 are provided with bolts or studs 25upon which are mounted brace bars 26 by means of slots 27 formed in oneend of said brace bars which embraces the studs 25, such slot beingshown particularly at Fig. 3. At its opposite end each of said bracebars has a ring or eye 28 which embraces a stud 29 carried rigidly bythe rim member, such stud being provided with a head 30 and with aspring 31 interposed between the eye 28 and the head 30. With the torqueapplied to the hub in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1,the action of the bracing mechanism is to have the stud 25 engageagainst the extreme end of the slot 27 and to draw the eye 28 againstthe tension of the spring 31, such description applying to the bracingmechanism on the front or near side of the structure, as shown inFig. 1. The bracing mechanism shown upon the back or far side in Fig. 1is the reverse and when the torque is applied as shown at the arrow inFig. 1 and the bracing mechanism upon the front or near side is placedunder stress, the action of the back or far bracing mechanism is thatthe studs 25 slide loosely in the slot 27. When the torque upon the hubis reversed the resilient strain is applied to the bracing mechanismupon the rear or far side of the structure, as shown at Fig. 1, whilethe studs 25 slide in the slots in the front or near bracing mechanism.

I claim 1. In a spring wheel, a hub member, a rim member, radial springsconnecting the members, inclined braces extending from the hub member tothe rim member, such braces being provided with slots at one end topermit free movement and at the opposite end with cushioning springs andpositive stops.

2. In a spring wheel, a hub member, a rim member, radial springsconnecting the members and inclined braces extending from the hub memberto the rim member, such braces being provided with slots at one end,pins inserted in the hub member and through the slots, brackets rigidlysecured to the rim member and permitting a movement of the inclinedbraces relative to the rim member, and a spring interposed to cushion apulling strain exerted upon said brace member.

3. In a resilient wheel, a hub member, pins spaced about the peripheryof the hub member, a rim member, brackets spaced about the inner circleof the rim member and corresponding with the pins in the hub member, andpairs of inversely inclined brace members having slots at one endengaging upon the pins of the hub member and slidably and yieldinglyengaged upon the brackets at their opposite ends.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AI J. SWARTS.

WVitnesses G. IVARD KEMP, C. C. PHILLIPS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Gommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

